Body for motor vehicles



A. G. HERRESHOFF BODY FOR MOTOR VEHICLES Filed Deo'. 2, 1921 nvm/mf? erf i www A' off/vens Patented Ang., ld, i923.,

,Nie srs' meeste earner carrer..

ALEXANDER GRISWOLDHIERRESHFF, 0F NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR T0. NTERNA- TINAL MOTOR COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION 0F DELAWARE.'

nona' ron merca vnnrctns.

Application led December 2, 1921. Serial No. 519,309. l

To all whom may (Jo/:wem:

Be it known that li, ALEXANDER Gmswonn HERRnsHoFr, a citizenof the United States,

lresiding in the borough of Manhattan of the City of New York, in the State of New York, have invented certain new and useful improvements in Bodies for Motor Vehicles, of which the` following is a specification, reference being had to the accomwith longitudinal floor planks supported on a rectangular frame adapted to be set on cross sills carried by the channels of the chassis. This construction has certain disadvantages, one of which is that the body is set high giving a high step for passengers andTa high center of gravity which increases the side sway and introducesan element of danger of upsetting in case of an accident. The improved body is set directly on the channels of the chassis and the invention has to do particularly with certain features of construction by which this relation is accomplished in a simple, inexpensive and thoroughly practicable manner. Further, the improved construction provides forthe necessary degree of rigidity for the oormg while permitting a necessary degree of weaving in conformity to movements of the chassis. Further, the flooring, although composed of transverse planking, is constructed in unitary form so as to permit the body to be removed from the chassis and placed thereon in accordance with former practise where independent frames are provided for the planking. To this end, beams scribed with of the improved body, the side Walls being omitted in the interest of clearness and a portion of the flooring being broken out.

-Flgure 2 is a view in transverse section taken along the plane indicated by the line 2 2 of Figure 1 and looking in the direction of the arrows, a portion of the side walls being indicated in its relation to the planking.

The floor of bodies for motor vehicles have heretofore been generally constructed with longitudinal planks supported in a rectangular frame which is adapted to be set on transverse sills carried by the channels of the chassis. In the improved body, form-` ing the subject matter of the present invention, no separate framing for the door planks is employed, these planks a being comparatively short lengths extending transversely of the channels b of the chassis. The floor thus formed is supported directly on the vchannels instead of resting on interposed sills as usual. The planks a preferably are joined along their proximate edges by` aY ton ue groove a or other suitable joint to hold them against relative displacement. Since, in the best practise, it is necessary to provide bodies of different types which may be set on or removed from any chassis of more or less standard form, the floor for the body must be in the nature of a unitary structure, as it would hardly be racticable to assemble special planking in p ace on the channels of aparticular chassis. Accordingly, the improved floor has its planks permanently united by means of beamsc which extend longitudinally thereof and preferably along the underside and are bolted to the separate planks as by means of bolts c. These beams c. will usually extend in substantial parallelism with the channels b and when the body is in place rest outside V'of the respective channels. rllhese beams lend the necessary rigidity to the floor and yet are so united with the planks thereof that a small degree of flexibility is given in order that the {ioor may conform somewhat to the weaving of the frame. Having a `unitary Hoor of this construction it is evident that the body may be placed on the chassis or removed therefrom by the -means and methods commonly followed. 4

The retaining devices by which the floor liti@ isclamped to the channels may comprise longitudinally extending straps al laid over lll@ , the planking and secured to the channels by Aao means of pairs of bolts al extendin respectively, through the planks 'and ownwardly on opposite sides of thechannels and interconnected at their lower Aends by stirrup'sd2 and nuts d3. These pairs of bolts Will be provided for each of the retaining straps d and each of the planks a so that a tirm union between the planks and the respective channels will be aiorded.

With the unitary flooring provided as described, it becomes desirable to secure the side Walls of the body thereto by devices which are secure and sightly. In the absence of' a framing v:or the oor the side Walls e must be secured directly to the transverse planks a. Pressed steel corner pieces f are bolted to the inner faces of the side walls e and bolted to many or all of the planks a, respectively. The side Walls e of the body may rest directly on the planks a: so that the weight is kcarried by them and the pressed metal piece f then becomes merely a retaining element to prevent displacement. its many such corner pieces as are necessary may be employed to give rigidity and seturity.l With this type ot connection it is evident that the Whole body becomes of la, unitary character and may be handled accordingly.

The improvements described .herein are characterized by extreme simplicity but mark an important advance in the art by reason of the elimination of many features which are objectionable in bodies as usually made and by disposing the elements in the most advantageous relationship. y I claim as my invention:

1. In combination with a longitudinally extending chassis beams of a motor vehicle, a Hoor therefor comprising transversely -eX- tending planks resting directly on the said chassis beams, lon itudinally extending straps engageable wlth all the planks and,

resting on top thereof directly over and parallel to the chassis beams, stirrups on the underside of the chassis beams and bolts in pairs engageable with the said longitudinal straps and located on oppositeV sides of the chassis beams and engageable With the stirrups, for detachably securing the straps and Hoor to said beams.

2. The combination as claimed in claim l, in combina-tion with a pair of longitudinelly extending beams secured on the underside of the planks to bind them together in a unitary tloor removable as a unit from the chassis.

This specication signed this 28th day of November, 1921.

ALEXANDER GRISWOH)Y HERRESHOFF. 

